Chapter 414

The gala turnout was huge. They were escorted in with Derek and were greeted by the President and First Lady right away.

"Your majesty. Miss Palmer." The President said, greeting them both.

"Mr. President. Mrs. Nakamura." Christian said. They were then whisked inside by a public relations rep and introduced to many diplomats and other leaders and business owners.

"Your majesty! It's wonderful to see you again." A familiar voice said. Christian looked over to see Holden Rhys Tomlinson standing there with his new girlfriend, 20 years his junior. Rhys was now the owner of one of the largest movie production companies in the US.

"Mr. Tomlinson." Christian said dryly.

"Come on man, call me Rhys. How is your mother?" He asked.

Christian ignored his question. He was a smug bastard that Christian strongly disliked and had no idea what his mother had found appealing about him. If anything, seeing him again gave Christian another reason to like Erik, as he was the one to pull her away from the swine.

"And who is this tattooed beauty on your arm?" Rhys asked, looking Nora up and down. Christian felt a surge of rage pulse through him.

"I'm Nora. It's nice to meet you." She said. He took her hand and kissed it.

"The pleasure is all mine." He said.

"I'm certain it is." Christian said. Nora looked up at Christian, wondering what to say.

"Come Nora, I believe we have to be somewhere. Rhys." Christian said. He took Nora's hand and lead her to the dance floor.

"What was that all about?" She asked.

"Just a smug bastard that likes to remind me of his history with my mother. Long story." He said as he assumed the beginning Waltz position and steps.

"You dance?" She asked.

"Of course. What kind of king would I be if I sat along the sidelines at every ball? Not much fun, that's for sure." He said.

"I love your accent. Have I told you that?" She asked.

"No, but I know you are a fan of my tongue." He whispered. She blushed as he spun her around as the waltz played. The crowd watched them intently and soon, they were the only ones on the floor.

"They are all watching us." Nora said.

"They are watching you, my love," he said. "In the presence of the moon nobody sees stars."

She looked up at him and smiled.

"You are so beautiful, Nora." He said, dipping her down and lifting her back up.

"Yours is the only opinion I care about." She said.

"It's not an opinion. It is a fact." He said. The song ended and he bowed to her as she curtsied.

"I know it. I'm going to turn into a pumpkin at midnight." She said.

He looked at his watch. "We have a few more hours. Better make the most of it then." He said.

They walked around the party, chatting with many about Nora's business and learning about various grants and donations. It was lovely to watch her mingle and hold her own within the crowd.

A cancer survivor gave a speech and Nora made sure to find her after, hugging her and telling her how amazing she was. She gave the woman her card and offered her services as well as wanting to make sure the woman knew how strong she was and how proud Nora was of her. It was the first time Christian had seen that side of Nora and it made his heart melt. She was kind, loving, caring. She was incredible. All the celebrities and famous people in the room, and Nora stayed with her for most of the evening, chatting with her and getting to know her.

The evening began to wind down. It was 11:45 and Christian knew what he wanted to do. He took her hand and lead her to the balcony outside. "This night is just magical. I never, not even in my dreams, imagined I'd be here with such an incredible man, doing good, around people that actually care. It's perfect." Nora said.

"I'm glad you are having a good night." Christian said.

"Good? It's beyond that. It's magical." She said, reiterating the word magical. "Thank you, Christian."

"You're welcome." He grabbed two glasses of wine from a passing tray.

"I meant what I said about London." He said.

She looked over at him, surprised it seemed, that he brought it up.

"Yes. So… You want me to move there?" She asked.

"Yes. Very much." He said.

"And what about my business here?" She asked.

"You could run both. Have a manager there and go back and forth if needed. Maybe even open more." He said.

"And you'd be supportive of that?" She asked.

"Why wouldn't I? I love that about you, what you do. The parts of you that make you the individual that you are." He said.

"It's all… it's all got to be too good to be true. Right? It's all a dream. How are you so perfect? You're handsome, like out of a romance novel, and you are kind, you make me feel so beautiful, you don't play games. You're only 21 and you are more of a man than anyone I have met or even heard of. You always say what you mean and mean what you say. How am I so lucky? How is this real?" She said, looking out over the lawn and to the night sky. He noticed she didn't mention the fact that he was a royal, or better yet, the king of a sovereign nation. It's like she only saw him as a man, and to him, that was the real dream come true.

He looked at his watch. 11:59. He took a deep breath.

"How about instead of you turning into a pumpkin at midnight, you turn into a queen, instead?" He asked.

"What?" She asked, looking over at him. But he wasn't there. She looked down to find him on his knee, opening a box with a diamond the size of DC in it. She covered her mouth with her hands.

"Marry me. I know it's soon. Too soon, probably. But I don't care. We can have a long engagement if you'd like. I want you. I want you all the time. I don't want to miss you anymore. I can't be away from you. It's obsessive but I don't care. I am absolutely in love with you. And, it is okay to love something a little too much, a little too fast, as long as it's real to you. And you are very much real to me. And so is this all consuming, inconvenient, insufferable and deliciously perfect love I have for you. Be my wife, Nora. We can figure the rest out as we go." He said.

She gasped and he could see tears falling down her face. She looked around and then up at the sky. "Thank you, Momma, for sending him to me." She whispered.

She looked back at Christian and said, "Fuck yes I will marry you." He smiled and put the ring on her finger and then picked her up and hugged her as hard as he could.

"My Nora." He said.

"Yours." She said back.